A Mini‐Review of E‐Waste Management in Brazil: Perspectives and Challenges

Abstract

The accelerated production and replacement of new electrical and electronic equipment demonstrates a tendency for the proportional increase in the generation of e-waste. Developing countries experience similar social and environmental consequences from this trend, which compounds the other challenges associated with the already poor solid waste management in these regions. Moreover, the dangerous composition of some e-waste amplifies the problems related to managing these materials. This mini-review presents a brief overview of e-waste management in Brazil, including technical aspects, scientific studies, and the challenges ahead. With the Brazilian National Policy of Solid Waste already in place, technical and scientific studies endorse measures that range from incorporating the informal recycling sector into the e-waste management sector to encouraging the expansion of the recycling industry. All such actions, combined with an intensified commitment of electronic equipment manufacturers to reverse logistics, can improve e-waste management in Brazil.

Rare Earth Elements Recycling Potential Estimate Based on End-of-Life NdFeB Permanent Magnets from Mobile Phones and Hard Disk Drives in Brazil

“…In Brazil, overcoming conflicts between waste picker organizations and the recycling industry is reported as the main difficulty in integrating these organizations into the reverse logistics process. These conflicts range from the cooperative's lack of management capacity and the associations of waste pickers to the unwillingness of manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to work cooperatively, especially concerning cost-sharing [52]. Data Availability Statement: Publicly available datasets were analyzed in this study.…”

Consumer e‐waste disposal behaviour: A systematic review and research agenda

“…Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE, hereafter), often known as e‐waste, has increased dramatically as a result of exponential technological advancements (Fan et al., 2021; Wang et al., 2016), resulting in unprecedented pollution around the world (Kiddee et al., 2013). Laptops, toasters, electric pressure cookers, grinders, cellular phones, DVD players, refrigerators, air conditioners, televisions, camcorders, and washing machines are among the most commonly discarded electrical and electronic items (de Oliveira Neto, 2019; Wang, Ren, et al., 2019; Wang, Huo, et al., 2019). E‐waste is widely regarded as the world's fastest‐growing waste stream (Abinaya et al., 2021; Gilal, Zhang, Gilal, et al., 2019).…”

E‐Waste Mistakenly Disposed of as Recyclable Waste: A Case Study from Brazil

“…[ 13 ] Nonetheless, despite the national legislation in effect, its effective implementation remains a challenge to the Brazilian government, mainly concerning e‐waste. [ 14 ]…”